Black Friday may be one of the busiest shopping days of the year, but Cyber Monday is the biggest day for ecommerce stores. In 2021, consumers spent $10.7 billion on online shopping on Cyber Monday — 20% more than they did on Black Friday.
So don't call it quits at the end of the day on Friday — these numbers suggest you could get half your business or more from the BFCM weekend on Cyber Monday, depending on what you do to draw your customers in. SMS can complement your marketing efforts and help you reach more customers when they've got megaphones pointed at them from all directions.
95% of texts are read within three minutes, so you can reach shoppers immediately while they're making purchase decisions quickly. And you have a better chance of standing out if you text your customers than if you only email them, as only 55% of brands use text message marketing.
Plus, if you use the right SMS marketing platform, text messaging can allow for two-way communication. Connect it to your customer service to speed up resolutions. Automate conversations to engage subscribers, make product recommendations, and even help customers place orders right in a text thread.
SMS can be more than a broadcast channel; but a powerful tool to raise your bottom line.
Here are seven Cyber Monday SMS marketing tips to take full advantage of your campaigns this year.
1. Collect customer engagement data throughout the year to inform your Cyber Monday campaigns
Gather as much data as possible on your customers' engagement with your SMS campaigns throughout the year. Analyze what causes them to opt in, unsubscribe, click, and convert.
Then you can understand how they engage with your SMS program and can use similar copy and tactics for your Cyber Monday campaigns.
2. Grow your SMS list with special Cyber Monday deals
Encourage your customers to opt-in to your SMS subscriber list by offering exclusive discounts and offers during the BFCM weekend. For example, you could use your signup form to tease early access or a deeper discount that will only be available to SMS subscribers.
Then, you'll have a bigger list, and your message will land right in their pocket to remind them about the deals they were excited about.
Your signup incentive should be different than your usual lead magnet to draw in people who may have passed up your offer before.
Send this offer to your email list as well. It might give them that extra push they need to sign up for your SMS program if they passed up the initial incentive.
3. Personalize your Cyber Monday messages
Personalization means you get the right message in front of the right customers. Use subscriber data, purchase history, and website behavior to send targeted text messages during Cyber Monday.
For example, you could send a text with product recommendations based on past purchases or show them Cyber Monday deals on products they've viewed on your website. This will help increase the relevance of your campaigns and make it more likely for your subscribers to shop your sale.
4. Capitalize on the "Golden Hours" of 7-11 pm
Research shows consumers are most active during the "Golden Hours" between 7-11 pm PST on Cyber Monday. These hours account for more than a quarter of the revenue earned throughout the day.
So schedule additional campaigns during these peak times to catch shoppers while they're browsing and ready to buy.
It's also the perfect opportunity to create a sense of urgency since it's close to the end of the day -- especially if this is your last or best sale of the year. So if your holiday sales end at a specific time, let customers know they only have a short time to get the products on their wishlist.
5. Optimize your SMS marketing campaigns all day
Don't just set it and forget it with your Cyber Monday texts. Keep an eye on how well they perform throughout the day, adjusting as needed to optimize their success.
This could mean tweaking segmentation or changing up copy to see what resonates most with your audience. Or you might even pause a campaign that isn't performing well.
Refer to the clicks and conversions on each campaign. And gather qualitative data from your customer service team and social media channels. Customers may be speaking up about their experience with your brand.
6. Adjust the automation timing on your behavioral flows
Your automated SMS flows, like browse and cart abandonment sequences, can also be updated for Cyber Monday.
Since customers are making decisions quickly, consider sending these messages within an hour of them browsing or adding a product to their cart.
And consider adding holiday language or additional deals to catch shoppers' attention and encourage them to complete their purchase.
7. Draw customers in with MMS
Don't just stick to plain text for your Cyber Monday campaigns. Use MMS (multimedia messaging service) to add graphics and GIFs that catch customers' attention.
This can be an opportunity to highlight product features and new colors or show products in action. Even a simple graphic GIF highlighting a Cyber Monday deal can get customers interested in browsing your online store.
Earn more sales this holiday season with a platform made for ecommerce
Keep these tips in mind as you craft your Cyber Monday SMS campaigns. If you want to level up your SMS program and earn more online sales this Cyber Monday, consider upgrading to Emotive.
Emotive is a best-in-class SMS marketing platform designed for ecommerce brands that are ready to scale. Segment your audience and send personalized campaigns that will get customers clicking and buying. Automate two-way conversations to make product recommendations and support the shopping journey. What's more? Emotive's white glove services can help you create your SMS strategy and write campaign copy to build a successful program.
Book a demo to find out how Emotive can help make SMS your next best revenue channel.